The BLITZ Fan Vote for Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Week was Banks County’s Shelby Speed after taking 5,431 of the 7,748 total votes. BLITZ then named Tallulah Falls’ 4×400 Relay as Co-POW.

Feature Photo by TFS Track & Field

SHELBY SPEED – BANKS COUNTY

Shelby Speed had a remarkable performance at the GHSA State Championships. The senior thrower earned the state title in the discus and shot put. In discus, her throw was 153-01, while she had a 43-07 in shot put. The discus throw was a PR for her, as was her shot put distance. For her career, she finished Region RU in shot put in 2021 and 11th at state, while being the Region Champ in discus and winning the State Championship as well. In 2022, she was the Region Champ in shot put and 11th again at state, while being the Region Champion and State Runner-Up in discus. This year in 2023, Speed was the Region Champion and State Champion in both shot put and discus. That brings her medal count to 5 region titles and 3 state titles and one runner-up. This is Speed’s fourth career POW award.

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GIRLS 4X400 RELAY – TALLULAH FALLS

What a story for the Tallulah Falls 4×400 Relay. The girls consisted of junior Dani Prince, senior Sofia Rueda, and juniors Molly Mitchell and Julianne Shirley. Sophomore Sara Bailey stepped in during the Prelims for Mitchell, due to Mitchell competing in the 400 and 800 events. Bailey was instrumental in getting the relay group to the finals. There, with Mitchell back in, the girls ran to a school-record time of 4:04.70, as Mitchell and anchor Shirley motored to the finish line for the State Championship.